What
to look for when contacting a Toller breeder!
Can you visit and meet the doggy relatives? You should be able to visit the breeder and meet at least the prospective mum. You should also be able to get information on other relatives (e.g. photos of the sire, and information on aunts, uncles, and previous litters.)
Read the UK Toller Club’s breeders code of ethics, to confirm to yourself that you think it is reasonable.
Ask the breeder if they are members of the Breed Club, and thus signed up to the breeders code of ethics. If they are not ask them why they choose not to sign up to this code of ethics.
Ask the breeder to show you copies of their adult dogs health clearances. This should include all the health issues that are currently available for the toller breed in the UK – which are
Hip scores (adult dogs are scored once as young adults as part of the KC/BVA scheme)
Eye tests (adult dogs in a breeding programme should be tested annually) PLEASE NOTE: Unaffected on this certificate means that the dog is clinically clear of PRA at the time of testing & does not mean the dog will never develop PRA.
Genetic tests - PRA and CEA/CH (the “Optigen” tests, which are done once during a dogs life. Results will be either Clear, Carrier or Affected)
Additionally ask the breeder about any other health problems that they know about with their line of tollers. The club accepts that there are auto immune mediated problems within the UK toller population and in conjunction with Robert Foale BSc BVetMed DSAM DipECVIM MRCVS and ECVIM Diplomat in Small Animal Medicine the club is doing all it can to identify the genetic and environmental factors. The current state of knowledge is that there are family tendencies with a probable environmental trigger, but we would stress that research is ongoing. Breeders should be willing to discuss this with any prospective purchasers.
Ask the breeder what they have done to socialize the puppies. Puppies who are going to turn into well adjusted adults need a wide range of experiences – even before they leave the breeders premises at about 8 weeks old. They should have met lots of people of all shapes, sizes, and ages. They should have experienced several different environments (e.g. different rooms in the house, garden, car,). They should have met other domestic animals (e.g. other adult dogs belonging to the breeder, cats, rabbits, other small domestic pets.) They should have been handled and had individual attention on a mostly daily basis. They should have a selection of toys and articles to play with as well as their littermates.
Ask whether the breeder has had their vet check the puppies and had dewclaws removed. (Front feet dew claw removal is optional for tollers, rear feet dew claws should be removed).
Ask the breeder what worming programme the puppies have been on. Puppies should be wormed at regular intervals. Compare what the breeder tells you to what your vet recommends.
Ask the breeder what food the puppies have been weaned on to. Are you going to continue with this feeding programme?
Ask the breeder whether you can leave a blanket or bedding with them until the puppy comes home with you, so that the pup leaves the breeders home with some familiar smells.
Ask whether the puppies are going to be or have already been registered with the Kennel Club. And whether this registration will be handed over to you, and ownership transferred on the day you collect the puppy. If not Why not !!
Ask the breeder whether there are any restrictions on the registration documents. If so then ask them to explain what they mean, and under what circumstances they can be removed. Some breeders put restrictions on subsequent breeding from their puppies – which is acceptable, providing that both breeder and puppy buyer understand the restrictions and the buyer is given this information in writing at the time of purchase.
Ask the breeder whether they let you choose the puppy or whether they select the puppy that they think will most suit you.
Ask the breeder what they supply with the puppy (e.g. piece of bedding, food, collar, lead, & what paperwork).
Ask the breeder what sort of follow up support they offer. Ask yourself if you are comfortable with this.
In return what you should expect to be asked by a breeder
Expect to be quizzed about your lifestyle….. and your experience with other dogs… and what you intend to “do” with a toller.
Expect to be asked about your house, family members, and even your car!
Expect to be asked whether you plan on taking the puppy to dog training classes.
Expect to be asked whether you have met any other tollers….. or been to any events where there are tollers (so you can see what more than one is like!)
Expect to have to wait for a toller puppy – currently demand for puppies well outstrips supply and it is not unusual to have to wait over a year!
Expect to be invited to the breeders premises to meet the adult dogs – possibly even when there are no puppies available. Such meetings are a two way gathering of information – you can check out the people, dogs and facilities, and the breeder can watch you around their adult dogs and get to know you!
Do not expect to be able to specify that you want a puppy “in July”. Bitches do not work to such schedules, and it is not easy to be rigid in timescales.
Do expect to visit to fit in with the breeder – these people will have several other families visiting to fit in and coordinate, as well as trying to care for their own family of dogs and people!
Be prepared to explain why you have decided a toller is the dog for you. If for no other reason than it makes you think about it! It is not easy to just go out and get a toller, so if you are going to get one you need to be determined!
For any further information or help contact:-
The Breeds Official HEALTH CO-ORDINATOR
Babs Harding. 2 Blewbury Road, East Hagbourne, Didcot, Oxon. OX11 9LF
Tel: 01235 813749 e.mail uk.toller@btinternet.com
by Peggy O'Connell
& Laurie Geyer Toller owners
originally posted to the Toller-List - Friday Dec.22 - 2002
These
are not Little Golden Retrievers!
If
you can’t keep this dog busy,
don’t get this dog. More than
many breeds, a Toller is a mental and physical commitment.
They are not the dog for everyone, and while we love them dearly, we
don’t want to see them in pounds and shelters.
Keep
all of this in mind as you consider choosing a “Little Red Retrieving
Machine”
With
all the posts about all the reasons why someone should consider a Toller is not
for them, it made one breeder think of all the reasons why, out of hundreds of
breeds, Tollers were the one for Her.
1.
When
they look into your eyes, you know they love you (or maybe they are hungry, or
want outside, or you’ve hidden the ball again…..)
2.
Versatile
and adaptable-able to go from couch potato to screaming retriever in mere
seconds.
3.
Worlds best mood-lifter. If
you have a Toller to toss a toy at you, then do a flying pounce and come
bouncing back for another toss, you just have to share their joy of life.
4.
Ability to communicate in many ways with us humans.
5.
Perfect
size.
6.
Smart-easily motivated by food, toys, anything that moves.
7.
Natural
hunting abilities easier for someone like me who doesn’t spend much time
training.
8.
Their watch-dog abilities without being barky at other times.
9.
Lower
incidence of health problems. In my
lifetime of purebred dogs (4 other breeds), my Tollers are by far the
healthiest.
10.
Their natural drip-dry coat, beautiful and low maintenance.
Ten Reasons why the Toller may not be for You
1.
Vroom.
The
Toller is an energetic dog, and needs plenty of exercise. While they aren’t
quite as hyperactive as some breeds, they do need lots of exercise, physical and
mental. If you are looking for a
dog who is content with nothing more than a pleasant walk in the evening, go
elsewhere. Better behaviour through exhaustion is the rule for living with a
Toller. If you don’t have time to give this breed at least an hour of exercise
a day, every day, with plenty of swimming and fetching, look elsewhere. A Toller
with excess energy will find another outlet for his drive, and the results are
seldom pleasant
2.
Smart, smart, smart.
It
cannot be stressed enough that this is a dog with brains to spare. Keeping all
that intelligence focused and busy is a big challenge.
These dogs MUST be given at least basic obedience training, and many
Toller owners are active in several dog activities (hunting, agility, flyball,
tracking, competitive obedience) just to keep their Tollers occupied.
Even a Toller who is “just a pet” MUST have basic obedience training
and the chance to use their brains (teach them to bring the paper, have them
carry the mail in, teach them tricks) or the become downright obnoxious around
the house.
3.
Just do what I tell you
Tollers
love to work, but they are not always as easy to train as other breeds.
They need to be challenged and engaged by their work, or they get bored
and stop paying attention. They may
also try things a dozen ways before they get around to doing what you’re
looking for. Patience, inventiveness and flexibility are the rules.
If you want a dog who’s going to learn by the book, or if you’re at
all unsure about your ability to train a dog who’s a little different from the
norm. The Toller may not be for
you.
4.
Did you say no?
If
you give a Toller an inch, they will take a mile and come back for another.
Tollers are generally too smart to engage in out and out dominance battles.
Instead they sense power vacuums, and exploit them. If you are unable to be firm
(kind, but firm) about the rules of your household, and to enforce them
consistently, you will find that the ruler of your household has four legs and
is red. They don’t have a mean bone in their bodies, but they are
opportunistic and stunningly smart. If you aren’t in charge, they will be.
5.
Not everyone’s best friend
If
you are looking for a dog who wants to be the world’s best friend, the Toller
may not be for you. Tollers are gentle and kindly and many can be quite
outgoing, but if you are looking for a dog with that Lab “I just met you and
You’re my best friend” attitude, the Toller may be wrong for you.
The Toller will greet strangers happily, but generally reserve true
enthusiasm for their family and special people.
6.
Drive
Tollers
are a hunting breed, and are bred to be working dogs.
They have a frantic drive to work, and will retrieve until your arm is
ready to fall off. Tendonitis in Toller owners is not unusual.
This dog is a retrieving
fool who will climb trees to get a bumper stuck there (we have pictures). This may sound cute now, but after the 400th
throw, you may change your mind.
7.
The “Scream!”
Many
Tollers have a penetrating scream which they produce to indicate excitement and
eagerness. To the uninitiated, this
can sound like the dog is being fed into a wood chipper, it’s high pitched,
frantic and loud. Not all Tollers
scream, but many do. If you
are unable to teach quiet manners, or live in a neighbourhood where dog noise
will get you in trouble, or just don’t like dogs who make noise, this is not
the breed for you. The scream is
usually a reaction to an exciting stimulus (water, a toy, a ball) rather than a
constant behaviour, but it can be annoying.
8.
They aren’t Protection dogs
Tollers
are generally wary of strangers, but if you want a dog to serve as protection,
look elsewhere. While they are
excellent natural watch dogs, and their barking may be more than enough to scare
away a burglar, these are not cut out to protect.
They may not lead the burglar to your silver, wagging all the while like
a Lab or Golden, but they also aren’t likely to go for his leg.
9.
Watch your cat
Many
Tollers do just fine in households with cats or other animals.
They do have a strong prey drive, however.
If you don’t want your cat chased, this may not be the dog for you. The chasing will all be in fun, but it is likely to happen.
10.
Shedding and Mess
Tollers
do blow their coat seasonally, and they are dogs who like to swim and roll and
wallow. They are not the dog for
the fastidious or the allergic.
Reproduced
by kind permission of the